Mercy Comes With the Morning
by lightblue-Nymphadora
Summary: A year after Draco makes a bad decision, he and Harry start to deal with the consequences. Draco/Harry slash.
1. For Better or Worse

_**LbN: This is the poll choice that won! You'll recognize part of this chapter from "Music to my Ears." It's an extension of that. Half of the story will be flashbacks- those are in italics. Super-mega nerd points if you can name the title and singer of Draco's song :). Happy reading!  
**_

Draco stood silently in the doorway of one of the mansion's guest bedrooms. He looked at the sleeping figure once more before quietly shutting the door and going to the study. He took out his wand, the urge to break something now irresistible…

* * *

_**1 Year Earlier**_

_Harry sat back on the couch in the green room. He could hear Draco singing, but he wasn't in the mood for the backstage crowd. He took a sip of his water as his husband's voice floated back to him._

"_I have a smoke to try and send me to sleep, but things aren't all that they seem. The only time I seem to spend with you seems to be in my dreams," Draco sang. _

_Harry smiled, listening to Draco really get into the song. It was the last one of the night, and then they'd be home. As much as he liked traveling with the blonde, he was ready for the tour to be over. _

_He'd decided to stay in the room while Draco signed autographs, but an hour later he was wondering where his husband had wandered off to. "Nigel?" Harry asked, walking down the hall to where the crew was packing up. "Where's Draco?" he asked the drummer._

"_I don't know mate," Nigel said, giving him a curious look. "He told me he was going to chill for a while. Thought he was with you."_

"_Not again," Harry said dejectedly._

* * *

_Three weeks later, Harry paced the living room as Draco's manager watched from their couch. "He's never been gone this long before," Harry said, distractedly. _

"_Harry, listen, he's done this before and he always comes back!"_

"_He just got clean, Arnold!" Harry shouted. "What if he's relapsed? What if…" Harry trailed off, horrible visions of his husband unconscious in an alley somewhere clouding his mind. _

"_Harry," Arnold said, standing and taking The Boy Who Lived by the shoulders. "Listen to me. We have the whole band searching Draco's…er…old haunts. We've called Lucius, and he's on the lookout too. I'm going to look myself. You stay here and try to keep calm. Do you want me to send Ron by?"_

"_No," Harry said. "No, I'll just…stay and…" He sat down. _

_Arnold patted his shoulder before leaving. _

_Harry watched him Disapparate. He was still standing by the window when someone came out of the bushes. "DRACO!" he yelled, running to the door. He met the blonde in the front yard and pulled him into a hug. He knew Draco had been using again, but he was too relieved to see him to yell. "Come on, in the house," he said, half carrying his husband inside. When he deposited him on the couch, he got a good look at him. _

_Draco was still wearing his concert clothes, only they were ripped and dirty. His hair was disgusting, and his eyes were purple instead of grey. He'd definitely been using again. _

"_Draco?" Harry said softly._

"_I'm sorry," Draco said, breaking down. "Please believe me. I didn't mean to. It just happened. I know I said I wouldn't anymore…" he broke off, shuddering. "I'm sorry."_

"_Come on," Harry said, pulling him up. "Let's get you into the bath."_

"_Do you want to know?" Draco whispered as they walked. "Do you want to know what happened?"_

"_I think I've got a good idea."_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Quiet," Harry said gently, pointing his wand toward the bathtub. It filled with warm water. "You don't have to talk right now." He helped Draco undress and get into the tub._

"_I'm sorry," Draco said again. His eyes were slowly returning to their normal color._

"_I know."_

* * *

Draco threw another glass ornament against the wall. He was pissed, yeah, but the anger had subsided mostly. Now he was starting to get scared. He'd have to tell Harry. He deserved to hear from Draco before he heard it from the Prophet.

"Draco?" Harry said, peeking into the study. "What the hell?"

"We need to talk," Draco said, panting.

Harry walked in, carefully avoiding the broken glass. "What's wrong?"

"I…er…remember last year? The big fight we had?" The big fight was their euphemism for Draco's disappearing act that had lasted about a month. The blonde had been on tour with his band when he'd suddenly taken off.

"Yeah…" Harry said.

"I er…well, I kind of lost my head. And I…"

"Cheated on me, I know. What about it?"

"She's had a kid. She thinks he's mine. I think she might be right. He looks a little like me."

"Oh fuck me," Harry said, sinking into a chair.

"If you'd like, but I figured you'd be withholding for a while," Draco said, trying to smile.

"How much does he look like you?" Harry asked.

"You know the baby picture Lucius had of me? The one on his desk at the Ministry?"

"Yeah?"

"Spitting image."

"Fucking hell. You didn't know anything about this kid?"

"Nothing, I swear!" Draco insisted. "I got an owl last week saying she wanted to meet me. When I went to see her, I found out that I had a son," he said weakly.

"It's a boy then," Harry said. "What's his name?"

"I don't know. She didn't tell me anything, just left me with him."

"Where is he now?"

"In the guest room down the hall. I conjured a cradle."

Harry walked toward him and gently took his hand. He led them down the hall and asked, "Which room?"

Draco opened the door and let his husband look in.

Harry went over to the cradle and looked at the baby. Draco hadn't been exaggerating, the kid was a carbon copy. Putting a hand around Draco's waist, he said, "You've been clean for a year. Today's the anniversary in fact."

"I know."

"We've been through everything," Harry said. "Parenting can't be that hard."

Draco turned to him, hardly daring to hope. "Do you…do you mean you want to…"

"I wouldn't leave you over this," Harry said. "I'm not trying to be noble or anything, it's just…you're mine, and he's yours, therefore however dysfunctional the history is, we're a family. I know you love him already; I can see it."

"This…isn't going to be easy."

"I believe we both said 'For better or worse'. And honestly, this can only get better, right?"

Draco wasn't sure of that, but Harry's confidence made him smile. He kissed him as Harry picked up the sleeping boy and rocked him.

_**LbN: Hope you liked it! Send reviews!**_


	2. Remembering

_**LbN: Sorry this took so long! Hope you like it! :)**_

_**1 Year Earlier**_

"_And time isn't healing me anymore. And time isn't healing me anymore. And time it don't heal me no more." Draco held the last note out and played a few more cords before Disapparating to the dressing room. He stripped and hopped in the shower, knowing his guitar was still spinning and sparking on stage as his band finished up the show. After a few minutes he jumped out and got dressed for the autograph signing. He was tired. He wanted Harry. With a deep breath, he opened the door to the fans' room and walked in. The band was already there, having come straight from stage. As if sleepwalking, he smiled for pictures, signed t-shirts, and sang "Happy Birthday" to a star struck Hogwarts student. By the time he got to the last person, he was feeling ill. The effects of the withdrawals had held off for most of the night, but he was fading fast. "Did you enjoy the show?" he asked the witch in front of him._

"_Loved it," she said. "You were great."_

"_Thanks," Draco said. He signed the t-shirt she held out to him._

"_You look like you could use a drink," she said. "I bet you're tired. Want to chill for a while?"_

_Draco looked around. The band was still signing things and talking to the fans, so he nodded and led the way to the bar. "Oi, Terry, can we get two Butterbeers?"_

"_Sure thing, Draco." He passed them two mugs. _

"_Thanks," he said. _

"_Wow, you're a good boy," the witch said, smiling. "The whole bar open and you go for non-alcoholic. Mind if I spice them up a little?" she asked, holding up a vial of purple liquid._

_Draco knew what it was. He knew he shouldn't, but he felt himself nodding. He watched as their drinks fizzed, and then took a long drink._

* * *

_**One Week Earlier**_

"_Will you be home on time?" Draco asked, handing Harry his bag. "Mother and Lucius want us to join them for dinner."_

"_Bloody hell…"_

"_Don't start. Lucius likes you now."_

"_I know. That's just it—I can't get used to it."_

_Draco laughed and kissed him. "Just try to be home by five, okay?"_

"_It's a testing day. I'll be back by two." _

_He Summoned the mail after Harry left and started sorting through it. He came to a small folded bit of parchment with his name on it and paused. Unfolding it, he read:_

_**Hello Draco,**_

_**You don't know my name, but I'm sure you remember me. I'm the witch from the concert last year. I saw your picture in the Prophet last week. They said you'd been clean for a year. Congratulations, I'm happy for you. I'm the same—it'll be a year next week for me. I have something important to tell you. Could we meet for lunch? I'll be in London next week. I'll be at the Wagamama on Victoria next Tuesday at 11. Please meet me. It's important. **_

_**~Your friend.**_

* * *

_Draco was so nervous that he took the Tube. He walked from Victoria Station to the large glass mall. Upstairs, in a courtyard, was the restaurant. He stopped when he saw her. When she waved him over, he gathered his wits and slid into the seat opposite her. That's when he noticed… "Baby?" he croaked, prayed that this conversation wasn't going to end up where he thought it would. "How old?"_

"_Three months."_

_Draco did the math and groaned._

"_He's yours," she said, nodding. _

_Somewhere in through the haze of amazement, he registered that she asked the waiter for two waters. "What's your name?" he asked weakly._

"_Jordan," she said. "Listen, could you hold him for a second? I really have to use the laventory." She passed the baby to him without waiting for his answer._

"_I…er…"Draco stammered, taking the child._

"_Watch his head," Jordan said. "Thanks. I'll be back in a moment."_

* * *

She hadn't come back.

Draco looked at the clock and smirked. He was starting to worry. Harry was a notorious impulse shopper, and the temptation to spoil their new child was probably overwhelming. He heard Harry Apparate outside, and not a moment too soon—the baby was getting fussy.

"I'm back!" Harry sang, hefting 10 large bags into the room.

"Harry James Malfoy-Potter!" Draco yelped.

"Calm down; it's all stuff we need." Harry grinned at him. "The crib will be here in an hour."

"We already have one," Draco said, nodding to the small cradle.

"He'll have grown out of that in a week." He separated the bags into three piles. "There," he said, pointing to three bags, "are bottles, baby dishes, formula, baby food, bibs, and a high chair. These four are his clothes—and I brought some stuff that he could grow into."

"What's in the last bags?"

"Soft toys, blankets, a changing mat, and two new diaper bags. The wizard who sold them to me offered to embroider his," he nodded to the baby," name on it, but I didn't know it."

Draco stopped dead as he took out the changing mat. He didn't know it either.

"You're kidding, right?" Harry asked.

"We'll try to find out when we take him to St. Mungo's." Draco looked down at the now crying child. "Er…Harry?"

"Yes?"

"I think he's pooped."

"Well change him."

He looked from the baby to the changing mat, to the bag of diapers. "Er…I don't know how…"

_**LbN: Send reviews!**_


	3. Learning and Names

**Mercy Comes With the Morning**

A light drizzle fell outside as the Malfoys and Malfoy-Potters sat in the downstairs parlor of Harry and Draco's house. The Malfoys had taken the news of their surprise grandson rather well, and Narcissa was currently teaching Draco how to change a diaper. Harry and Lucius sat on the sofa, trying to hold back their laughter as Draco's latest attempt somehow got the baby tangled in the cloth.

Draco looked up and shot them a glare. "You do it, then," he said, smirking evilly.

That sobered Harry up quick. He shot Lucius a Please-Get-Me-Out-Of-This look. When his father-in-law just smiled, he sighed and took Draco's place next to Narcissa. "Okay…I'll..er…give it a go." He smiled as he began to clothe the baby. With grey eyes and blonde curls, he really did look like Draco. After three disasterous attempts, two fairly decent ones, and one that Narcissa admitted was "passable", Harry had gotten diaper changing down. He grinned cheekily at Draco.

Draco stuck his tongue out at him. "Whatever," he grinned. "You're the housewife out of the two of us... It makes sense."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Harry rolled his eyes.

"Who would've thought…" Lucius said.

"To be fair, I hate doing dishes. And he's definitely the one that cleans," Harry told them.

"So you have the domestic duties figured out," Narcissa said with a smirk. "Have you finally decided on which one of you asked the other out first?"

"Me," Draco and Harry said in unison.

* * *

_**6 years ago- 1 year after the Final Battle**_

"_And while we're waiting, we could try saving the world. Or are we storing that up for a rainy day?" _

_Harry listened to Draco sing, still not quite believing what he was seeing. He'd never pegged Draco as the artistic type—let alone the rock star type. "He's good," he told the blonde to his right. She looked familiar, but he didn't quite know from where. _

"_Yeah, he is. But MERLIN, he is impulsive," she sighed. "PR-repping for him can be hell, but he keeps things fun at least."_

"_You're his PR rep?"_

"_You don't recognize me, do you?" she asked, grinning._

"_Sorry," Harry said, blushing. "I've been to six of these benefits in the last week—everyone's starting to blur together. _

"_Give you a hint. I went to school with you…."_

_Harry looked closely at her…something about her nose was familiar… "PANSY?"_

"_The blonde hair threw you, right?" Pansy said, giggling._

"_That and the fact that you're talking to me."_

_Pansy smiled and shrugged. "I was young."_

_Harry nodded. "So…you and Draco—"_

"_No," Pansy cut him off, laughing. "HELL no. We're just friends. Besides, I'm not his type," she said with a smirk. At Harry's look of confusion, she said, "The type with a penis."_

_It took Harry a second, but then he laughed. He and Pansy clapped as Draco finished his song. He caught Draco's eye and saw the blonde smile. Returning it, he waved and after excusing himself, wandered off to talk to Seamus._

* * *

_Draco was feeling a bit faint. It was only a three song set, but he tended to rock out on "Save the World." "Cauldron cake and a Butterbeer, please," he told the waiter. _

"_Certainly, Mr. Malfoy." He passed a plate and goblet to him._

"_Thanks." Draco looked around for an empty table, finally spotting one in the corner. He snarfed down his food and started to "people watch." Normally, he loved to do this, but it wouldn't be that fun tonight. People weren't their normal quirky selves when Harry Potter was in the room—even if he wasn't paying them any attention. Therefore, it was going to be good and boring tonight at a benefit for him. _

"_This seat taken?"_

_Draco's head snapped up. It was Harry. "No, go ahead."_

"_Thanks."_

"_Not sitting with your fans?"_

"_You either?"_

"_Needed a minute alone."_

"_Same here."_

_Draco smiled. _

* * *

"That quickly?" Lucius asked. "Momentary bonding over how anti-social you were both being?"

"I kept running into him at the market too. There were apologies, tears, causal conversations…"

"We asked each other out at the same time," Draco said. "But I think I had the idea first."

The baby yawned and all of the adults laughed.

"I think he's trying to tell us something…" Harry said.

"We'll talk to you tomorrow," Narcissa said. "Send us an owl when you find out his name."

* * *

"No matches," the Healer said, handing the baby back to Draco.

"What?" Draco said. "How? She was definitely a witch."

"Yeah, and she could've had the baby at a Muggle hospital. Or at home. There aren't any matches to witches named Jordan on his birthday—which, by the way, is February 27th. I went ahead and did a Trace on his dates; figured you'd be in the dark about that too. However, if it's any consolation, she didn't drop you with a kid that isn't yours. Little man here is all you."

"Good," Draco said. "So what now?"

"Eh…" the Healer shrugged. "Little tyke's nice and healthy. Your best bet would be to get him registered with the Wizards' Registration Office. Then, you know, he's yours. You're the biological father, so you won't have to do any adopting."

"Thanks," Draco said, shaking the Healer's hand.

As they left St. Mungo's, Draco asked, "So are we going straight over?"

"Let's go home. We'll get some lunch, feed him, and while he's taking a nap we can figure out what we're going to name him."

Three hours later, over coffee and cheesecake, Harry and Draco were arguing over names. There were a few they liked, written down on a sheet of parchment, but they couldn't get an order or agree on a combination.

"Ooh!" Draco said, eyes lighting up as he looked at the baby book. "Here's one that could go with Magnus. Fitzroy."

"You want to name him Magnus Fitzroy…?" Harry said slowly. "You have completely lost it, haven't you?"

"It's a strong name," Draco said indignantly.

"No."

"Fine, fine."

"Let's just pick out of what we have."

An hour later, they'd settled on Fabian James. Draco wrote it down on the copy of the Notice of Birth that they'd have to give to Registration. "Shall we go then?" he asked.

Harry nodded. "I think I hear him waking. I'll go get him."

_**LbN: Hope you liked it! Send reviews please! Once again, bonus points if you can name the artist of the song Draco was singing ;)**_


	4. Options

**Mercy Comes With the Morning**

The car-seat was elaborate, and it reminded Harry of why he'd always needed help with puzzles during school. Personally, though, he thought the way to the Sorcerer's Stone was easier than hooking the seat into the car. He managed to get it sorted by the dime Draco had Fabian ready to go. "Ha!" he said, shooting the seat a smug look as Draco walked down the driveway.

"Are we ready?" he asked, bouncing Fabian.

"Yep! Strap him in and let's get this meeting over with."

Draco laughed as he put the baby in the seat and closed the door.

"Oh, so I'm chauffeuring today?" Harry asked, grinning at his husband in the mirror.

"Well, I'd keep you company, but I'm afraid he'd start screaming if he isn't supervised."

"Point taken" Harry said, tapping the wheel with his wand and backing out of the driveway.

* * *

Pansy smiled at Harry as they all sat in Arnold's office. The manager was pacing, clearly put out that his reformed star had a secret love child.

"Calm down, Arnold," Pansy said. "And sit! You're making me nervous."

"Fine," Arnold said. "Here's how we're going to spin this. Draco, you and Harry had been thinking of starting a family for a while. You used a surrogate mom around the time Draco lost his head, and were keeping a low profile while he got better and the two of you adjusted to being a family. Clear?"

"No one's going to buy that," Draco said. "Harry and I have been in the papers, they'll know something's up."

"Well then what do you suggest we do?" Arnold asked.

"Nothing," Pansy said. "Release a statement that Harry and Draco are announcing their son. Say that the family thanks everyone for their support and for respecting their privacy. That's preemptively cutting off any…er…unsavory questions."

"Any more objections?" Arnold asked. When neither man said anything, he continued. "Good. Now on to business. Draco, your…journey, for lack of a better word, this past year has been _great _for sales. People love a little drama. But that's not going to last. I think you need to get back in the game. And since this past year's been all about positive changes, we could maybe branch you out as a solo artist. The band's already moved on. This could be good for you."

"What did you have in mind?" Draco asked as Fabian tried to eat his sleeve.

"A solo tour. We could get you a family bus, and it would get you back into the public eye."

"When exactly?"

"Start at the end of this year."

Draco looked at Harry. His husband didn't look too enthusiastic about the idea. "Let me mull it over a bit," he said. "Shall we do lunch on Monday? I'd say tomorrow, but we an appointment."

"Monday's fine. Pansy, you coming?"

"Of course," she said. "Try to stay out of trouble this weekend," she said, giving them a wink and leaving.

* * *

The ride home was silent. It wasn't until the two men were in the house and had put the baby down for his nap that they spoke again.

"You don't want me to go," Draco said.

"I just…I think it's too soon," Harry told him.

"You don't trust me yet," Draco said.

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"Why are you getting so defensive?"

"Because I have a chance to help support my family, and my husband isn't being supportive."

"I do support you!" Harry said indignantly. "It's just that this year's been hectic—traumatic really—and I don't think either one of us is ready for the stress of a tour. Especially with a baby."

Draco fidgeted with his sleeves. "You wouldn't have to come if you didn't want to. You could stay here with Fa—"

"No. Absolutely not. I'm not playing housewife while you go touring around Europe."

"Well then what do you suggest I do?" Draco snapped. "You don't want to come with me. You don't want to stay here. What do you want from me?"

"I want you to _think_, damn it!" Harry nearly shouted. "Things are different now, Draco. You can't just pick up and hit the road anymore! You know how stressful things on tour are, and I'm not bringing a baby into that. And being home without you with a newborn is going to be hell."

"Are you sure you're not just worried about what I'll do out of your sight?"

"Oh for the love of Merlin, Draco!" Harry really did yell this time. "I would be lying to you if I said I wasn't, but that's not the reason I don't want you to go. You have a kid now! You can't just take off."

"I know that! But you're not giving me a lot of options as to what else to do here."

"You're not trying to think of any!"

The two of them stared at each other for a minute. Draco stood when Fabian began to cry. "I'll get him."

"I'm going to pick up dinner," Harry mumbled. "Be back in a while."

Draco watched him leave before going to the nursery. He gently scooped Fabian out of his crib and sat with him in the rocker. He went through his mental Baby Checklist… "Not wet, just ate…" He rocked Fabian, humming a tune that he didn't quite have words for. He didn't know any lullabies, so he just made up a song. "Speak to me, in the light of the dawn. Mercy comes with the morning. I will sigh, and with all creation groan as I wait for hope to come for me. Am I lost, or just less found? On the straight or on the roundabout of the wrong way?"

* * *

_**3 Years Ago**_

_Harry was in the process of taking the steak and kidney pie out of the oven when he heard his name. He whipped round and saw Draco running up the driveway. A few seconds later he heard his husband collide with the door, getting it right and entering the house shortly after. _

"_Harry! You'll never guess what happened!" Draco yelled, "Go on, guess!"_

"_Well if I'll never guess, then why do you want me to?" Harry chuckled. _

"_Go on!" Draco whined._

"_Fine…er…you got a music deal?"_

"_Yes!"_

_Harry's mouth fell open. A moment later he let out a yell of laughter and hugged Draco. "That's amazing! That's what Arnold wanted?"_

"_He told me that two of the recording companies were really impressed with my independent work and wanted to sign me. I'll be with WizPlay Records. They're holding auditions for my band next week, and they promised I'd be able to carry all of my original songs over to the label!" Draco paused and took a deep breath._

"_So they're not going to make you do any of their 'prewritten corporate shit,' as you call it?"_

"_They're giving me a few," Draco shrugged. "But they're letting me pick which ones, and most of the first record is going to be my stuff. It couldn't be a better deal."_

"_So, auditions next week…then what?"_

"_Then we start recording! After the first two singles are released, we're going to do a mini tour. It's really happening."_

_Harry couldn't think of anything to say, so he just hugged Draco again._

* * *

_**Two Years Ago**_

_Draco slipped out of the green room. The band was partying after a private show and interview for the Welsh Wizards' Digest staff. It was boring. All of the stuff they'd been doing that summer was boring. He walked out of the building and found a payphone. Sifting through his pockets, he found some Muggle coins and called his house. _

"_Hello?"_

"_I was hoping you'd be home," Draco said, smiling when he heard Harry's voice._

"_How are you?" Harry asked excitedly. "Where are you?"_

_Draco laughed. He hadn't been able to get a copy of the media circuit's schedule for Harry, and he kept forgetting that The Boy Who Lived didn't know where he was. "I'm in Carmarthen right now. We'll be in London tomorrow."_

"_You don't sound too excited."_

"_I'm not about the media and politics," Draco said. "I focus on the music. I'm not…" he cut himself off, not wanting Harry to worry._

"_Not what?"_

"_It's just that, compared to last year, we're not doing anything really. It's not fun anymore. I'm not even recording. I know we've got the tour coming up, but it's still…I don't know."_

"_Well, hang in there. You can always write music, even if WPR won't let you record yet. When will you be home?"_

"_In a week. Will you be on a mission?" Draco really hoped not._

"_No. Not unless the shit really hits the fan somehow. I miss you."_

"_I miss you too. Look, I've got to get back in there before someone flips out. I'll call you tomorrow, right?"_

"_Okay. Bye love."_

"_Bye." _

_Draco hung up the phone and wandered back into the building. He looked into one of the smaller rooms where a group of interns were playing Cripple Mr. Onion. "Mind if I join?" he asked with a grin._

_They looked at each other for a moment before one of them, a blonde boy with droopy eyelids, drew up another chair. _

"_Thanks," Draco said, taking two cards from the pile. "What're we playing for?"_

"_Fizzers," the blonde boy said._

"_I…er…don't have any of those," Draco said._

"_We'll play for a while so you can win some," another intern said._

"_Unless you're uncomfortable?" the girl intern told him._

"_No, it's fine."_

_An hour later, that's where the band found him—absolutely owning the younger ones in their card game. Draco stood before anyone actually entered the room. "Thanks for letting me play," he said, smiling at them. It was only when he got back to the bus that he noticed that they'd managed to sneak his "winnings" into his pocket somehow. Fizzers. He'd never actually seen them before in real life—only on the Ministry's "Just Say No" posters. He put the three vials into his suitcase and wandered into the "living room" of the bus. "Oi, you guys rocked today," he told the band. "What're we doing tonight?"_

"_Nothing mate," Nigel, the drummer, said. "Kenya's Apparating back to London, her sister's having the baby. Milo got food poisoning off the crab dip, and unless you want a game of cards or something, I'm thinking of turning in early."_

"_Nah, that's alright. Have a good night, mate."_

"_You too."_

_Draco grabbed a Butterbeer from the fridge and went back to his room. He grabbed his favorite pen and notebook and stared at a blank page for a while. Nothing was coming to him—his mind was filled with a blank sort of buzzing. Bored, he tossed the pen and pad aside and reached for his drink. He paused for a moment, before going to his suitcase again. The little vials were still there, lying innocuously between his socks and his Dublin Destroyers Quidditch t-shirt. He picked one of them up and poured it slowly into his drink. It fizzed and foamed, spilling off the side a little. He cleaned it up with a wave of his wand and took a long drink. It was good, really good! It tasted like…Butterbeer and cherries and…mint? He couldn't place the last flavor, but after a moment he didn't want to. He just wanted more. His head was spinning. He reclined onto his bed, happy he had two bottles left._

* * *

Draco had calmed down significantly by the time he heard Harry's car in the driveway. He put Fabian into his carrier and went back into the living room.

"I brought home some curry," Harry told him as he walked into the house.

"Sounds great. Er…I've had an idea."

"What's that?" Harry asked, pulling the boxes out of the plastic bag.

"I still want to do the tour," Draco said. "But it would be pointless to do it so soon. Besides out family…developments…I don't have any new music. I'm going to tell Arnold that I want to tour, but not until I get some new material. Definitely not this year."

"I like that plan," Harry said, smiling.

Draco smiled and got the plates out. As he set the table, he hummed the chorus to his first new song, tentatively titled "Mercy."

_**LbN: Send reviews! Btw, Alice in Wonderland, Percy Jackson, and The Tudors are running a close race on the poll for which fandom I'm adopting! Go vote if you haven't already :).**_


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